The Mentality of Wild Birds and Beasties 



succeeded in bringing a stalk to a triumphant conclu- 

 sion, from her point of view. 



Of all the wild creatures to be found in the British 

 Islands I consider the common fox the most intelligent. 

 I could relate many wonderful stories common all over 

 the countryside in support of my belief, but will content 

 myself with an actual personal experience. Whilst 

 sitting one afternoon in a hiding-tent well covered with 

 heather on a West Surrey moor waiting for a Dartford 

 warbler to come back to its nest, I espied a fox trotting 

 leisurely alongside a plantation about two hundred 

 yards in front of me, so put my fingers to my lips and 

 began to squeal like a rabbit in trouble. Reynard 

 picked up the sounds instantly, and turning in his tracks 

 began to gallop straight towards me. Upon arriving at 

 a point about forty yards directly in front of my hiding 

 contrivance he slowed his pace, and came to the con- 

 clusion that he had better sit down and think the matter 

 out. The wind was blowing directly from my right 

 hand over the tent and away across the lonely moor. 

 A few moments' reflection evidently convinced the wily 

 animal that he had better consult the evidence of his 

 nose as well as that of his ears, and trotting away to my 

 extreme left he studied the breezes. The wind told him 

 everything he wanted to know, and he turned round 

 and crept stealthily away to the friendly cover of the 

 dark plantation, and I saw him no more. 



Having cited an example of the mentality of what I 

 consider the most intelligent wild animal in our country, 

 I will by way of comparison relate an experience of the 



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